Features

Answering the Call

Written by Mike Thee

January 31, 2012

The mid-January winter storm posed a particular challenge for the Puget Sound Blood Center. Snow and icy conditions cancelled dozens of blood drives, resulting in a loss of more than 2,000 units and making it the largest weather-related impact experienced by the Blood Center in many years.

In the midst of the crisis, the Blood Center turned to SU with a last-minute request to host a drive on Friday, Jan. 20. Although the university was officially closed, Mike Sletten, director of Public Safety, took the lead in coordinating with the Blood Center and ensuring the Bellarmine Turnaround was shoveled out and ready for the bloodmobile. A call then went out to the campus community, which proved itself more than up to the task.

"(SU’s) response touched me,” said Krista Fink, of the Blood Center. “My goal was 20 donors… but your community efforts produced 40 registered donors! This is more donors in one day than we’ve ever had before on a bloodmobile at Seattle U. You surprised us as you overwhelmed us with your positive response.”

Fink added that the Blood Center had been struggling to get 10 registered donors at the other blood drives they managed to hold during the storm.

"I am a Seattle University alumna (’07),” she said, “and to be able to come back to SU and the surrounding community and receive such a great response reminds me why I chose Seattle U in the first place—because it’s a community of people who believe in community. It’s great to see that these values haven’t changed.”

The next blood drive at Seattle University will take place Feb. 6-8. To make an appointment, visit Puget Sound Blood Center.